What I Didn't Like

2. AdirChef Grab N' Go Personal Coffee Maker

This coffee maker is made with a small, lightweight design that comes in a variety of colors from black to sour green. If you're someone with a busy schedule, this would probably work great for you.

It is portable and has a capacity of 15 ounces. The mug it comes with is travel-friendly and keeps the coffee warm for a long time. You can easily place the mug into the car cup holder as it fits all sizes.

The coffee maker and the mug are made with long-lasting, high-quality materials. The components include a lid, a reusable filter, and a holding basket, all of which are dishwasher safe.

The permanent filter lets you save money and the environment by eliminating the need for paper filters.

What I Didn't Like

3. Black + Decker CM618 Single Serve Coffeemaker

With a design that fits perfectly in a bedroom, this coffee maker can brew ground coffee or pre-packed coffee pods. It is simple to use with a one-touch option.

It also includes an automatic shutoff feature and a power indicator light that verifies functioning. It is very easy to clean with the removable filter basket. You can wash it in the sink or the dishwasher.

The machine brews coffee to perfection by setting the ideal temperature for the water. This way, your coffee will have a satisfying taste.

What I Didn't Like

4. Aicok Single Serve Programmable Coffee Maker

Specs and Features

This single-serve coffee brewer from Aicok measure 7.48” x 13.78” x 11.42”, weighs 7.05lbs and is made of plastic. It features a 45oz reservoir with a large mouth to make filling easier. The reservoir is removable for ease of filling and cleaning.

The drip tray is also removable for ease of cleaning. This also allows you to use the machine with taller cup or mug sizes.

This machine can make drinks of five different sizes, 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 10oz and 12oz. There are three programmable cup size options, “small”, “medium” and “large” and you can attribute the cup size of your choice to each.

The Aicok is a pod-based coffee brewing system and can accept most types of pods, including Realcups, K-Cup and others.

It is also compatible with Keurig’s reusable K-Cup pods, giving you extra flexibility with the types of coffees you can make.

This coffee brewing system features an auto-shut-off which activates at the end of the cycle, meaning you don’t have to remember to switch off after use.

The unit completely shuts down after one hour of inactivity.

Review

There are several things about this machine that we particularly like. First of all, it has a very uncluttered design and is extremely simple to use once it is set up the way you like it.

Once you have programmed in your chosen cup sizes for “small”, “medium” and “large”, all you have to do is switch it on, pop in the pod of your choice and hit the corresponding button. There is nothing else you need to think about.

Another great feature is the speed at which this machine can prepare your coffee.

From being switched off, it is ready to brew in around 30 seconds or so and will produce your coffee in another 30 seconds after you hit the button.

This compares well with some other more expensive options which can take longer to warm up and brew.

We also enjoyed how quiet this machine is. If you are used to other brands’ single-serve coffee machines, the low noise level on this machine may surprise you.

Another big plus here is that it can take most types of pod, meaning you are not “locked in” as with Keurig 2.0 machines.

This is a small machine, so it’s suitable even if you don’t have lots of space and the price is extremely reasonable.

There are a couple of negative points. This machine is unable to make carafe-sized beverages and it also doesn’t alert you before you start brewing if the reservoir is empty.

6. Keurig K-Elite K Single Serve K-Cup Pod Maker

The K-Elite measures 13.1” x 9.9” x 12.7” and weighs 6.6lbs. It features a 75oz reservoir and a removable drip tray.

With the drip tray removed, it can accommodate a mug up to 7.2” in height.

This machine can make coffee in cup sizes of 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 10oz and 12oz.

It has an “iced coffee” setting for preparing iced beverages and also features the “hot water on demand” function when you only need hot water without using a pod.

This is one of the newest Keurig models and is programmable to allow you to customize your drink; settings include drink strength and a range of temperatures from 187°F to 192°F.

The K-Elite comes complete with one water filter handle and one water filter. It also includes a K-Pod variety pack of K-Cup coffees and cocoas.

Review

If you are used to some of the older, larger Keurig models such as the K575, the first thing you’ll notice when you take it out of the box is the size and weight – it is considerably smaller and lighter.

The second thing you are going to realize is how attractive this machine looks.

This is definitely a unit that will take pride of place in your kitchen and will likely be the subject of some envious comments from your guests.

One of the best aspects of this machine is that Keurig has finally decided to do away with the ill-advised DRM device they placed in their 2.0 models.

This means the K-Elite is fully compatible with unapproved brands of pods, giving you access to a much wider range of beverage options.

In this machine, Keurig has done away with the touchscreen control, replacing it with buttons.

However, it is simple to use, and you should have no problem learning how to make coffees and other drinks just the way you want them.

Speaking of this, we also appreciate the amount of customization this machine allows.

Being able to choose the size, temperature and strength of your drink gives you much more control over what you put in your cup.

The biggest let-down with this brewing system is that it doesn’t accept K-Mug or K-Carafe pods, so you are limited to single cups only.

The price is also high – although it is a quality product – and those who want to spend less might prefer to look elsewhere.

Good for

8. Nespresso Inissia Original Espresso Machine by Breville

Specs and Features

This is a pod-based espresso machine – as opposed to brew system for regular coffees. Its dimensions are 4.7” x 9” x 12.6”, it weighs 5.29lbs, has a 20oz reservoir and the exterior is mainly constructed of plastic.

It is sold as making “barista grade” espressos since water is passed through the coffee grounds at a pressure of 19 bar.

It can produce a coffee from being switched off in only 25 seconds and has an energy-saving feature that switches it back to “off” after nine minutes.

It has a folding drip tray which allows you to use larger sized cups, and you can adjust the size of the shot, allowing you to “pull” an espresso or a lungo.

9. Ninja Coffee Bar Single-Serve System with Built-In Frother

This is a pod-free coffee maker capable of making single servings as well as carafes of coffee. Its dimensions are 12.2” x 11 x 16.3” and it weighs 12lbs.

This coffee maker includes a whole range of great features that give you lots of freedom over the coffees you make.

It can make coffees in four sizes, “cup”, “XL cup”, “travel” and XL multi-serve”.

It is also capable of brewing five different styles of coffee, “classic brew”, “rich”, “over ice”, “forte” and “specialty”, each giving you different nuances of flavor and mouthfeel.

Coffee is extracted using Ninja’s patent-pending thermal extraction technology and the machine also features a built-in frother for making espresso-based beverages such as lattes and cappuccinos (although this brewer can’t make true espressos).

The unit also includes a permanent water filter and is supplied with a set of five paper filters and a recipe book.

Review

This brewer is completely different from machines that use pods.

It doesn’t have the simplicity and convenience of a pod-based system, but it does give you a whole lot more freedom and creativity to make the drinks you want.

We love the five different styles of coffee this brewer produces.

If you want a regular coffee, select the “classic brew” option, but to really appreciate the aromas and subtle flavors of a good coffee, go for the “forte” or “specialty” options.

The versatility of this machine carries over into the beverage size options you have, and you can make anything from a small cup for one person right up to a large carafe of coffee for a group.

The frother is something you don’t find on many pod systems either.

You might be able to buy flavored pods like “caramel latte”, but with this machine, you can make real foam to make a much more authentic beverage.

The drawback with this machine is that it lacks all the convenience of a pod system.

For all the freedom it allows, you still have to learn how to use it, take the time to make coffee and clean it after. It is also bigger than many pod-based brewing systems.

Best single cup coffee makerbuying guide

1. What is one cup coffee maker ?

In the simplest terms, a 1 cup coffee maker could be any coffee making device you use to prepare a single serving of coffee.

There are many types of coffee maker that can be used for this, including a single-serve pour-over drip coffee maker, a one-person French press, the AeroPress or even an espresso machine.

However, in recent years, there has been a certain amount of innovation in the field of single-serve coffee machines, and this is the kind of device we are focusing on here.

The pioneer in the world of single-serve coffee makers was Keurig. In the early 2000s, the company developed a coffee maker that used single-serve pods to make a fresh cup of steaming coffee each time.

Originally, this was supposed to solve the problem of barely drinkable office coffee that had been sitting in the pot all morning, stewing and becoming bitter.

However, the Keurig machines proved to be so popular that a home version was soon created. Since then, Keurig brewers have gone on to dominate the home coffee machine market.

The patent for these machines and the pods they use ran out in the early 2010s, and now there is a whole range of machines made by Keurig’s competitors, making the choice much more complicated.

Single-serve coffee makers do just that – they make a single serving of coffee each time with the minimum of fuss. Since the original versions were released, some advances have been made, and many of these machines can now also brew mugs and carafes of coffee as well as single cups.

It is also now possible to find single-serve brewing systems that are pod-free.

2. Advantages of the single serve coffee maker

Pods offer the convenience of having great coffee any time at the touch of a button

Pods provide a wide variety of coffees and other drinks you might not otherwise make

Perfect coffee every time – impossible to make a bad brew with a pod

Pods keep coffee fresher for much longer

No clean up after, simply dispose of the empty pod

Of course, the most obvious advantage of having a single serve coffee maker is that you can make coffee for only one person. This means you can make a brew even if there is only one coffee drinker present – and you don’t waste coffee grounds making more than you need.

This is true of any kind of single serve brewer, from pour-over to espresso machine, but if we are talking about the kind of single serve machines that use pods, there are several other distinct advantages they have over other types of coffee maker.

At the top of this list is convenience – this is primarily what they are designed for, and this is why they have been so successful. All you need to do is pop in a pod and hit “go” and you will only have a few moments to wait before your hot, steaming brew is ready.

As well as this, there is no chance of serving bad coffee. When you brew yourself, you have to choose the right grind, you need to dose correctly, you have to judge the steeping time; in short, there is lots of room for error.

Not so with a pod-based machine. Every cup it makes will be perfect, just the way it’s supposed to be.

Another advantage is that coffee in pods keeps fresh for much longer than regular beans or ground coffee. Even six months or a year after buying a pod, you will find that it still hasn’t gone stale. This is because the pods are sealed to prevent oxidization from occurring.

With pods, you don’t only save time before you brew, you also save time after. With any other kind of coffee maker, you need to clean up when you’ve finished. With a pod machine, all you have to do is remove the pod and discard it. Much simpler than messing about with pots and filters.

Finally, pod systems also offer a great amount of variety. Sure, you can probably make a vanilla latte or a caramel macchiato at home – but how often do you actually do it? With a pod machine, you just need to buy the pods you want and pop it in the machine when you want it.

Most machines offer extremely wide ranges of coffee drinks as well as other beverages.

3. What's the disadvantages?

Price – machines are often not cheap and the pods themselves can be expensive

Environmental impact of single-use pods

Choice can be limited to what is available in pod form

There are a few negatives to consider too, the first one being price. Pod machines are generally more expensive to buy in the first place, and the pods themselves are more expensive than buying regular coffee, sometimes by two or three times.

Then there is the environmental impact. Keurig K-Cups are not recyclable and each year literally billions end up in landfill sites. Some other brands are more environmentally friendly but producing that much waste plastic is still not great for the planet.

Pod-free machines are more environmentally-friendly but can’t compete with pod-based machines in terms of simplicity and convenience.

5. How to choose

If you are considering buying a single-serve coffee maker, you should think about your priorities.

If you value speed and convenience, a machine that uses pods could be a good option.

If, on the other hand, you prefer to save a few pennies, you might prefer a traditional machine.

If you are sure you want a single-serve brewer, important factors to consider include size (for example if you have a large family), brand (for reputation and product range), and extra features (for example programmable timer, nightlight, high altitude brewing capability, etc.).

Conclusion

We’ve enjoyed reviewing these single cup coffee machines for you and we think any one of these models would be an excellent choice.

However, with its combination of great value, ease of use and versatility, our top pick is the Hamilton Beach (49980A), and this is the coffee maker we recommend.